The Catechetical Leader in the Third Millennium

     The Catholic Bishops of New York have published a new, official statement that should be of interest to those who follow this blog.

     The paper is called "The Catechetical Leader in the Third Millennium." It was published on September 27, 2012 by the Bishops in conjunction with the (Arch)Diocesan Directors of Religious Education throughout New York state.

      This new work -- "The Catechetical Leader in the Third Millennium" -- is a companion piece and a collaborative follow-up to a jointly written pastoral vision, for catechists, by the New York Catholic Conference during 1998 called The Catechist in the Third Millennium.

      This early document affirmed the primacy of catechesis in the mission of the Church and called for a renewed commitment to the recruitment, formation and ministry of the catechist as a top priority in parishes and Catholic schools. It also provided a framework for forming catechists in New York state, earning it a national award for articulating a provincial, unified vision of catechist formation.

      The newly-released statement asserts, by echoing the official National Directory for Catechesis in the United States, that 'the single most critical factor in an effective parish catechetical program is the leadership of a professionally trained parish catechetical leader.'

     Thus, today’s catechetical leader must be first and foremost a disciple of Christ. But he/she also needs particular competencies to address challenges faced by the contemporary church. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says in its National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers identifies criteria for these competencies -- including formation in doctrine and tradition. 

The new profile, "The Catechetical Leader in the Third Millennium," builds on those competencies, then identifies five additional areas of proficiency for parish catechetical leaders:

            Evangelization, the Changing Parish Landscape, the Family, Cultural
            Realities and Technology.

     In conclusion, the Bishops of New York State now commit to preparing today’s catechetical leader for the variety of parish faith-formation issues and demands encountered in their ministries. In addition, they pledge support for all diocesan efforts to address, faithfully and with flexibility from diocese of diocese, the professional development parish catechetical leaders at the local level.


     Here is a web link to the New York statement:

     http://www.nyscatholic.org/2012/09/2001/